


Steve's USO Tour

by roe87



Series: Canon Shenanigans [12]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: 1940s, Action & Romance, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Bucky Barnes, Backstage, Bottom Bucky Barnes, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Captain America Steve Rogers, Captain America: The First Avenger, Chorus Girls - Freeform, Crossdressing, Crossdressing Kink, Dressing Room Sex, F/M, Female Bucky Barnes, First Meetings, Flirting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gender Fluid Bucky Barnes, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, Humor, Hydra (Marvel), Jewish Bucky Barnes, Jewish Character, Kissing, M/M, Nerd Bucky Barnes, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Queer Character, Queer Themes, Science Nerd Bucky Barnes, Sharing a Room, Smut, Strength Kink, Top Steve Rogers, Touring, USO Show, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:35:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29068146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roe87/pseuds/roe87
Summary: After Project Rebirth, Steve has his brand new body but Col. Phillips and the Army doesn't want him.Senator Brandt, however, offers Steve the chance to do his part by promoting war bonds... in tights, in a USO show.Lucky for Steve, he meets some new friends to keep him company, including a chorus girl named Bucky.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: Canon Shenanigans [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1351015
Comments: 26
Kudos: 103





	1. Who's strong and brave, here to save the American Way?

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to explore Steve being backstage in his USO shows surrounded by girls, and what if one of those girls was Bucky and that was how they met.
> 
> Yes, Steve will become Cap.
> 
> Also I will be exploring a gender fluid presentation for Bucky when it comes to how she dresses. I hope you enjoy!
> 
> ~~

Steve wasn't used to being around this many women.

Sure, he'd been around women before. His mom, his aunt and his grandma, their friends... but that was different. Relatives and older, married women were easy enough to be around. He didn't get _nervous_ around them anyway, not like he did with younger, available women. Not that young, available women looked twice at Steve.

Or, they hadn't.

Now they did, and being thrust backstage with dozens upon dozens of chorus girls, all of them young (well, his age, probably), and very pretty, and getting dressed right in front of him.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Steve stuttered, figuring he'd walked into the wrong dressing room. A few of the girls had tittered in amusement as Steve dashed out again, clutching his bag of clothes to his chest.

He ran off to find Tom Routledge, Senator Brandt's aide and general organiser of this whole show.

"Do you know where the men's changing room is?" Steve asked him.

Routledge looked at Steve like he'd grown a second head. "There ain't none," he replied. "And there ain't gonna be none anywhere else, so you better get used to sharing. Don't go demanding your own dressing room or nothin'."

"Oh," Steve said, taken aback. "I... guess I'll use the restroom then."

"Restroom?" Routledge scoffed. "You got twenty warm blooded, all American dames in their undergarments back there. Go show off that new bod science gave you and reap the benefits."

"Wouldn't that seem imposing?" Steve asked. He had very little experience flirting with women, but surely they wouldn't want a strange man in their changing room.

Routledge laughed. "You ain't the only fella on the cast, Steve. The guy who's playing Hitler is already in there with 'em."

"Oh," Steve said.

Well, if it wasn't only him then that changed things.

So Steve headed back to the dressing room and let himself in. It was bustling inside the small space, chorus girls all in various states of undress, chatting loudly and crowding around the only available mirror to apply their lipstick and check their hair.

Steve spotted the Hitler actor over in the corner, sitting on a chair and pulling on his boots. He was already dressed up in a Nazi uniform, but he had no mustache and his hair wasn't in the right style yet. Steve walked over, carefully edging his way through all the girls.

"Pardon me. Sorry. Excuse me," he said softly whenever he accidentally brushed up against someone. He half expected them to turn around and yell at him for being there, but nobody did.

Those who noticed him did look; not with contempt like Steve was used to in the busy dance halls but with wide, curious eyes and smiles on their bright red lips.

This would take some getting used to, Steve thought to himself.

He finally made it over to the Hitler guy, and dropped his bag down so he could extend his hand in greeting.

"Steve Rogers," he introduced himself. "I'm, uh, I'm playing Captain America."

"Dave Johnson." The old man replied, shaking Steve's hand. He smiled broadly. "You're a big fella, ain't you?"

Steve was big. His perspective was over two feet higher than it'd been before, and now he was the one looking down on most people.

"Guess I am," Steve said amiably. He wasn't mad about being big, far from it. He found a spare chair and used it to place his bag on, and began rooting around for his clothes inside. "So... we just get changed in here, right? In front of all the girls?"

"Oh, sure." Dave waved his hand in a little flourish to gesture at the room. "The dames don't mind more dames."

Steve paused at that. "Oh," he said before he could stop himself.

"Oh," Dave echoed, his expression changing as he watched Steve. "You're not queer?"

"Um," Steve said, caught by surprise. This wasn't the first time he'd been asked if he was queer, though he still didn't have an easy answer. None that he was prepared to give out, anyway. Steve supposed that, yes, he probably was a bit queer. He'd always found beauty in people, no matter who they were or how they looked. Steve had always assumed it was because he was an artist and he appreciated beauty everywhere, but now he wasn't so sure it was that simple.

"Sorry, son," Dave told him quietly. "Actors, dancers, they often are, you see? I didn't mean anything by it."

"It's quite alright," Steve assured him. "I've never done any acting but, um, I'm looking forward to it, I guess. It'll be an experience."

"Now that's what I like to hear!" Dave grinned at him. "You'll have a swell time."

Steve smiled back. He could tell that Dave was a nice guy, and they'd get on just fine. He had to get changed into his stage clothes now, as their first rehearsal was starting soon. Steve turned back to his chair, facing the wall as he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"Have you got a mustache to put on?" he asked Dave.

"Oh, yeah." Dave chuckled. "I'll fix my hair too. Get it all slicked down at the front. Gotta look the part, right?"

"Right," Steve agreed, removing his shirt and folding it neatly. "Think we should practise our fighting?"

"Fighting?" Dave seemed amused by that. "Well, son, if you wanted to pin me down and wrestle, I won't say no."

Steve smiled. Dave wasn't really his type, quite a bit older than him, but Steve didn't mind banter.

He started unbuckling his belt when he noticed that the room had gone quiet, so he looked over his shoulder to see what was up. Surprisingly, all of the girls had stopped talking and were watching Steve. It was a little disconcerting to have so many eyes fixed on him at once, so Steve turned his face to the wall again.

"Are they all staring at me?" he whispered to Dave.

"Well, you can't blame them," Dave replied quietly, humor lacing his voice. "There is a war on. All the young men have left."

"Yeah," Steve said, feeling guilt weigh on him again. He should be out there too, not safe at home in America. But Senator Brandt had insisted that promoting war bonds would help the Allied troops.

Steve exhaled shakily and looked round again, half turning to face the room. The girls were still staring, not making much attempt to disguise the fact they were staring at his body.

Steve noticed one girl's jaw drop all the way open.

This would definitely take some getting used to, he thought.


	2. Who vows to fight like a man for what's right night and day?

After a solid week of rehearsals, the troupe headed out on the road with their show, and it was then Steve realised a couple things about women.

Number one: being around a lot of women wasn't any easier than being around a lot of men. In fact, sometimes it was downright confusing because the women in the show seemed to have a whole different hierarchy of socialising than men did.

Steve spent a lot of the time in the various dressing rooms they had, standing in a corner trying to keep to himself and marvelling at the social dynamics that would unfold around him.

Some of the girls were friendly, chatty... perhaps a bit too friendly, sometimes. Ruth, Evelyn, and Mary were nice, and being New York girls they'd clocked Steve's Brooklyn accent early on and started talking to him like he was an old friend.

Other girls who didn't want to chat to Steve kept to themselves. Those were the married girls or girls who preferred the company of other girls, as Dave had mentioned to Steve.

Dave was a nice guy, originally from Chicago but had done shows all over and even on Broadway when he was younger. He'd tell the tales to anyone who wanted to listen, and often Steve got changed next to Dave so he could hear Dave's stories. Although sometimes the more chatty girls would bustle Dave out the way so they could chat to Steve, literally standing there in their undergarments and talking a mile a minute while Steve was trying to get changed himself.

There was always a lot going on in the dressing room, with somebody mad at someone else for something, or someone using a lipstick that wasn't theirs, and a whole lot of talking or whispers. The girls were split into two major groups: the singers and the dancers. This was more hierarchy, because the singers looked down on the dancers and made snide remarks sometimes, while the dancers oftentimes complained about the singer's bad attitudes.

Steve found it baffling. They were all in the same show, and the girls all wore the same outfits of little star spangled dresses.

If they could even be called dresses, they were very revealing. Very pretty too, from an artistic point of view, Steve thought. He'd sketched a few from memory at night when he couldn't sleep.

Sometimes the dancing girls wore little blue hats or helmets, which a lot of the girls complained squashed their hair down. The singers found this amusing, as they never wore the helmets.

And therein came the second thing Steve had noticed about the cast of girls. Namely that some women were just plain mean for no good reason. Steve noticed it, the bullying, when it occurred. He'd been a target for bullies all his life, of course he was attuned to it.

Granted, the bullying he'd received had been from men, including some open name calling, some jibes. A swift punch to the face was what followed if Steve had ever challenged it.

Bullying was different with women, and Steve wondered if he'd have noticed if he hadn't been stuck in a small space with twenty-five girls. It felt like a lot of the behaviour in the dressing room was meant for other women only, and Steve felt like some sort of bird watcher catching glimpses of wildlife going about its business without caring that he was there. Because for all their gawping at him, often the girls completely ignored Steve when they were busy gossiping about other girls.

Shirley, one of the singers, was clearly a girl that the others looked up to, Steve noticed. They were all attractive girls, all of them talented from what Steve saw too, and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why Shirley was the leader. Probably because she was outspoken, as some of the quieter girls hung on Shirley's every word.

The thing was, though Shirley showed her obvious dislike for many of the girls in the troupe, there was a girl on the dancing group that Shirley seemed to dislike above all others and this girl was Bucky.

Evelyn was already friendly with Bucky, so Steve had noticed her in the dressing room. Bucky was a brunet, and tall. One of the tallest girls on the chorus line, which meant that the heeled shoes Bucky wore had a short heel on. All the chorus girls needed to look around the same height, so they had different size heels to achieve that effect.

Steve had heard other girls whispering about how tall Bucky was, calling her 'lofty' or making jokes about her size. Steve had been surprised, because for him he'd been teased all his life for being short and small. It seemed ridiculous to tease people for their height, something they had no control over, but apparently women did it to each other too. And there was nothing wrong with Bucky. Sure, she was tall, but she fit in the chorus line just fine otherwise, looking like all the other pretty girls.

Bucky was a bookworm, often with her head in a book instead of gossiping. She'd brought books with her on the road, little pulp novels with interesting covers that Steve had been curious about. She'd caught him looking one time and Steve had apologised for being nosy but Bucky had only smiled and offered the book for him to look at.

It was a Sci-Fi novel: Twenty Thousands Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne. Steve had smiled back at her and commented that he'd read it and enjoyed it very much.

"It's my favorite," she said. "Especially Captain Nemo."

"You know, I brought some books myself, if you ever wanted to swap," Steve offered. "You like H.G. Wells or Mary Shelley?"

Bucky's hazel eyes lit up, and she nodded. "Do I!" she exclaimed.

Steve had known then that they'd become firm friends. He'd always been the book worm in groups too, the odd one out. Bucky was nice, and that same night they exchanged battered books to read, smiling shyly at each other.

Steve liked Bucky a lot. It was just a pity that the other girls seemed to pick on her a lot. From snide whispers or remarks to actually messing with Bucky's stuff in the dressing room: hiding her things, or making runs in her stockings.

And stockings were getting hard to come by.

Steve never saw who it was doing the pranks, though he kept an eagle eye out. These girls were clever and managed to conceal whatever they were doing so it slipped by unnoticed in the cramped, busy changing rooms they had.

Often the only times Steve knew of any pranks was if Bucky said something, like the time she yelled out at the entire dressing room, "Stop taking my make-up! If you want to borrow it, just ask! You don't have to steal it."

There'd only been an awkward silence followed by quiet titters.

"I don't think half these girls know the meaning of the word decent," Ruth had commented after. "Don't sweat it, doll."

Bucky was beginning to look fed up though, and Steve didn't like that. This was worse than the bullying he'd endured in Basic, as far as he was concerned. At least the men there, and Hodge in particular, hadn't hidden the fact they disliked Steve or pranked him. The girls here were engaging in psychological warfare.

Now Steve understood why his mother had always wanted to keep the peace with her female friends. He could see that the fallout was pretty bad.

At a show in Kentucky, Steve took Ruth and Evelyn aside and asked them why the other girls picked on Bucky so much. There had to be a reason. Maybe a guy was involved, or Shirley was jealous of Bucky? Bucky was very pretty.

Evelyn and Ruth had exchange a look before Ruth said, "Because she's Jewish."

"Bucky's Jewish?" Steve hadn't known that. "Can't Routledge do something? I'll make a formal complaint about their behaviour, get them taken off the show."

"No, don't," Evelyn said. "That won't help, and it'll be Bucky who gets fired. She needs the work."

"Evelyn's right, Steve," Ruth said.

"But that's ridiculous," Steve insisted, lowering his voice as they were passed in the hallway. They'd snuck out here between shows. "There must be something we can do."

"This is just how it is," Ruth replied. "Maybe the other girls would quiet down more if Shirley wasn't here. She's the one who whips them all up into a frenzy."

"Yeah, I noticed." Steve rubbed a hand over his face. "Okay. I'm gonna fix this, but I'll need your help."

"Are we gonna tie her up and throw her on the next train outta here?" Evelyn joked.

"Tempting," Steve said, "but I have a better idea."

That night after the last show was finished, the troupe all headed back to their dressing room to get changed.

Routledge and the auditorium's manager bustled into the dressing room shortly after, claiming that the manager's office had been broken into and tonight's takings in cash were missing.

Everyone gasped in surprise and whispered among themselves. On cue, Evelyn called out, "Sounds like somebody's got sticky fingers, Mr. Routledge! You should search everyone's belongings before we leave."

"Great idea," Routledge said. "Nobody leave until we check your bags, ladies! Oh, and gents, too."

Dave, Mary and Bucky, who'd been getting changed beside Steve, looked concerned. "It's alright," Steve told them quietly. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

Routledge and the flustered manager started checking the bags of the nearest girls. Everything had come to a standstill, girls standing there in their dresses and their undergarments, muttering complaints about being held up.

Predictably, Shirley got impatient and spoke out, pointing an accusing finger at Bucky. "Mr. Routledge, you should check her bags first! I bet it was her."

Steve's anger simmered, but he remained composed. Everyone's attention was now focused on Bucky, who looked glassy eyed about being singled out but she didn't cry. Steve gave the nod to Ruth across the room.

"Alright, Miss Barnes," Routledge said, gesturing for Bucky's bags. "Let's see."

"Pretty sure it wasn't her," Steve said firmly, standing beside Bucky for moral support.

"Hm," Routledge grumbled, rooting through the bags and shoving aside stockings and clothes. "Nothing here. You got any other bags, Miss Barnes?"

"No, just that one," Bucky replied, exasperation clear in her voice. "It wasn't me, alright?"

"I don't believe her," Shirley said in a stage whisper meant for the whole room to hear.

Steve looked for Ruth at the back of the room, who nodded to him. That was his cue. Steve stepped forward. "You know what I think," he said, loud and clear as everyone else hushed up. "I think we should check your bags next, Shirley."

For a long moment, Shirley seemed shocked at the fact that someone else was challenging her so openly, but then she smiled and it wasn't a nice smile.

"Well, sure, hon," she simpered. "Check my bags, but you'll find nothing there."

She led the way to her bag, Routledge following. She still had a smug smile on her face as she handed the bag over.

"Knock yourself out," she said.

Routledge opened the bag and dozens of dollar bills fluttered out. An audible gasp rippled around the room. Shirley looked at the crumpled bills of money in her bag in horror, then started babbling her innocence to Routledge.

"Save it, doll," Routledge told her. "Get your things, and get outta here before I call the cops."

A couple of Shirley's bosom buddies tried sticking up for her, but Steve stepped in to make sure Routledge wasn't swayed.

"Mr. Routledge made himself clear," Steve said firmly. "Also, I refuse to work with a thief. If Shirley doesn't leave now, I'll leave myself. Good luck promoting this show without me."

"We get it, Steve, we get it," Routledge sighed a long suffering sigh. Then he said to Shirley, "You'll get paid up to tonight, but that's it. And be grateful I didn't call the cops. Now git."

Shirley's face went beet red. She gathered her clothes in complete silence, her friends not sticking up for her anymore, and she marched out of the dressing room.

Steve caught Ruth's eye, and she winked at him. Steve smiled, and when Routledge and the manager left again and the drama was over, everyone started gossiping very excitedly.

"I've never seen anything like it," Dave exclaimed, when Steve went back to their little corner. "The entire night's takings in her bag."

"Yeah, how about that," Evelyn said dryly, sharing a knowing glance with Steve.

"I can't believe they let her go," Bucky said.

"Look on the bright side," Mary told her, "the changing room is gonna be a whole lot quieter without her mouth flappin'."

Bucky grinned at that. "Sure is." She caught Steve's eye, and her grin turned into a pleased little smile, the relief on her face plain to see.

Steve smiled back at her. Justice served, he thought.


	3. Who will campaign door-to-door for America?

After touring around the states, next stop was the United Kingdom.

They had a few shows booked back to back in London to start off before they'd head up north, and while the auditorium was a lot smaller than what they were used to, one plus side was a lot of nearby hotels that really appreciated the custom of having a whole troupe book in for the week.

Steve even had a small room to himself, which was somewhat of a relief after having to listen to either Dave's snoring or Routledge's.

They'd done their first show that afternoon, followed by a second in the evening. Steve was back in his hotel room, getting ready for bed when there was a knock on his door.

He opened it to find Evelyn there, wearing a nice tea dress with an overcoat on top.

"What's up?" Steve asked.

"We need a favor," she said. "Dave wants us to take him to a bar he's heard about, but we don't exactly know the area and I'm worried about us being out late at night."

Evelyn and the girls were often taking Dave out to the local gay bars and clubs, whichever city they were in. For a lot of them though, Steve included, this was their first time abroad.

"Aren't you tired?" Steve asked. None of them had the serum yet they seemed to be eager to go every night.

"C'mon, Steve. Live a little." She grinned at him. "Bucky's coming too."

"Oh?" Steve said, before he could stop himself. Bucky didn't go out as much as the others, she was a bookworm like Steve. But if she was going out tonight, that certainly changed things.

"Alright, I'll meet you down in the lobby," he told her, as Evelyn clapped her hands together quietly in triumph.

He shut his door and went about getting changed again, into civilian clothes. He'd had to buy all new clothes since being big, and it'd taken him a while to get used to it but Steve thought he had the hang of clothes now. It was amazing that everything he bought suddenly fit a lot better, especially pants. Shirts were still a nuisance, his shoulders were just so broad. He had to buy bigger shirts but he could make them look neater by tucking them into his pants.

All in all, Steve was pleased with his appearance for the first time in his life, and he didn't mind showing it off if he got the chance.

At least, if he wasn't in tights.

He clipped on suspenders, because he liked how they looked on his big body. He tied a necktie around his collar but left it a little loose, popped on a hat and grabbed his jacket.

The shows paid him a decent wage, so he had a few notes in his pockets for drinks later. Not that he could get drunk anymore, which kind of sucked but he couldn't complain overall.

He headed downstairs, walking as softly as he could so's not to wake anyone else. In the lobby he spotted Evelyn, Ruth, Dave, and Bucky. They waved to him and they left the hotel together in hushed whispers and giggles, like naughty kids sneaking out after dark.

"I hope one of you brought a map," Steve said, once they were out on the quiet, dark street. Many of the streetlights were off, as it was the Blitz.

"We're awfully close," Dave explained, pointing along the street. "We can take this main street, cut a left and we should be in Soho."

"Huh," Steve said, surprised. "That is close."

"We're in the heart of London," Evelyn said, linking arms with Dave as they all walked along. "Isn't it exciting?"

"Sure is," Steve agreed, as Ruth and Bucky linked arms with him on either side. He couldn't help a smile.

With a gal on each arm, Steve walked with a spring in his step. Bucky and Ruth chatted away, Ruth saying how she wanted to visit Selfridges and buy makeup, and Bucky saying she wanted to visit The British Library.

Tomorrow before the show would be their first chance to do any sight seeing.

"I wouldn't mind seeing the library," Steve said, hoping Bucky would invite him along.

"Oh, we should go!" Bucky said excitedly. "There's so much I want to see! I'm going to get up real early to fit it all in."

"Alright," Steve agreed. "Sounds fun."

"Early mornings? I'm more of a night owl," Dave mentioned, Evelyn nodding in agreement.

They walked through Soho, quieter than they'd expected, though inside the pubs and bars there were a lot of people crammed in there even with the lights down low or off completely.

"Must be awful living like this," Steve wondered out loud. "All the bombings."

"Will there be any tonight?" Ruth asked.

"Hope not," Dave said. "If you hear the siren, run for the nearest shelter. Look, there's the pub. The Crown and Two Chairmen." He pointed to the building on the street corner, its dark windows flickering with a little candlelight inside.

They went in together, drawing a few looks from patrons but it seemed friendly enough. The girls took a free table in the far corner, while Dave and Steve went to the bar.

Steve ordered the drinks and paid, the barman showing interest when he spoke. At first Steve thought it was just his accent, but when Dave smiled sidelong at him, Steve remembered he was in a gay bar.

"You want to stay at the bar?" Dave asked him when they had their drinks.

"I, uh..." Steve glanced over at Bucky, chatting with the other girls. "I'll go sit for a bit, if you don't mind."

"One man and three pretty dames?" Dave chuckled. "Not a bad idea. Go get 'em, Steve."

Steve smiled, and took the drinks over to the table two at a time.

"Couldn't you carry them all at once, big boy?" Ruth teased him.

"Not without wearing them," Steve replied calmly.

Now they all had their drinks, and Dave was happily propping up the bar chatting to other single men. Steve raised his glass to the ladies. "Here's to London."

They toasted, and chatted together. Or, really, they chatted and Steve listened, occasionally putting in a word when they let him. He didn't mind, he just enjoyed being in their company.

Especially Bucky's.

She was sitting opposite, and whenever she caught him looking at her she smiled at him. Steve smiled back, every time. He liked Bucky, she was easy to talk to.

"Are you looking for anything in particular at the library?" he asked her when there was a break in conversation.

"Just to visit," Bucky said. "I wouldn't mind checking out some bookstores here, too. See if they have any first editions. Even if I can't afford them I just want to look."

"Maybe we could fit in bookstores on the way to the library?" Steve suggested.

Evelyn shook her head at them. "As if you two need any more books."

"I always need more books," Bucky countered, and they laughed. "Besides, a nice thick book is also a great weapon of self defence."

Evelyn gave her a disbelieving look, while Ruth reached under the table.

"You know what's also great for self defence?" Ruth said, pulling out a small black gun. "My garter pistol."

"Ruth!" Evelyn said. "Put that away, you'll get us thrown out."

"Where do you keep that?" Steve asked, as Ruth tucked her gun away again.

"In my garter," she said.

"Isn't it heavy?" Steve asked.

Ruth shrugged. "It's fine."

"See, Evelyn," Steve said with a laugh. "You didn't need me to escort you here after all. Ruth can protect all of us."


	4. Carry the flag shore to shore for America

"London hates me," Steve said, examining his hand of cards.

"They don't hate you," Dave said calmly. He was dressed as Hitler, even had his mustache on and his hair gelled flat.

They were all in costume, backstage and playing a card game between shows.

"They do, though," Steve said, and folded his hand. He couldn't get a break today. "That matinee show was the worst audience we've had."

"Cut them a break," Bucky told him, examining her cards with an excellent poker face, as usual. "They've been through the Blitz, remember?"

She was in her colorful USO dress and hat, with her coat on to keep warm.

"What Bucky said," Evelyn murmured, not playing cards but smoking a cigarette. "Also, for a superman you aren't exactly showing off, are you?"

Steve looked up at her. "What? What do you mean?"

"Well, you've got all this strength," Evelyn gestured at Steve with her cigarette, "allegedly, and yet the audience doesn't see anything. Just you pretending to punch Dave every night."

Dave chuckled at that, though his eyes were set on his cards.

"What am I supposed to do?" Steve asked. "Jump into the audience and punch someone?"

"You could punch a plant!" Ruth called over from where she was getting changed.

"No, don't go into the audience," Bucky said. "You'll make 'em worried. Just do something more exciting onstage. Something fun to watch."

"You better do something flashy when we get to those Allied bases," Evelyn said. "Something they ain't seen before."

"I'm waiting on your suggestions," Steve retorted.

"You know when you borrowed that motorbike in Dallas and rode it in?" Dave said, laying his cards on the table. "You could do that again."

Bucky laid out her cards too. She'd won. "Lift the bike up, perhaps?"

"The bike isn't here," Steve pointed out. "Why would they want to watch me life a bike?"

"I'm sure they have bikes here," Evelyn said. "They just want to see something out of the ordinary, Steve. Show off a little."

"I know!" Bucky flashed an excited smile at Steve. "You could lift us girls! Like the strongman at Coney Island."

"Uh..." Steve recalled images of said strongman wearing an animal print loincloth and not much else.

His career had come to this.

"I guess?" he said hesitantly. "You can ask Routledge. See what he says."

Routledge loved the idea, and told them to figure it out between themselves.

After speaking to the auditorium's manager, a stage hand was brought in to help them with props. They didn't have long before the next show was on, but Evelyn and Bucky really wanted to try it out.

They went into the empty auditorium and onto the stage to do a quick rehearsal. Dave, Ruth and Mary tagged along to watch and offer critique.

"We can use a plank of wood," the stage hand said, scratching his chin. "Set it up off the ground with steps for the girls to get up on either end, then you can walk in and lift it up."

"Let's try it!" Evelyn said enthusiastically.

Steve was unconvinced. "Is this really going to be exciting to watch?" he asked.

"Well, have some accompaniment," Dave said. "Music, or some other girls dancing at the sides. We can work it out."

"This is getting more like a circus every day," Steve murmured, mostly to himself.

He was starting to feel, especially being here in London seeing the bombed out ruins of buildings on the streets, that he'd gotten off lightly himself, and that he should be out there on the frontlines doing more than dancing around in tights onstage.

Steve wasn't exactly sure yet, but he had a plan once the tour got to Europe. He was going to try something daring, but for now he had to stick to the show.

Steve just had to be patient a little longer.

The stage hand helped them set up something fairly simple, with two sets of block steps up to a plank of wood. That plank wasn't going to be comfortable to hold onto Steve thought.

"Maybe we could get something more stable made up?" Steve asked the stage hand. "Something with handles on so I have a secure grip."

He shrugged. "Sure."

Bucky and Evelyn didn't want to wait, though. They tossed off their coats and walked up the steps, testing the plank before they both sat down at the same time.

Steve was concerned about them falling off, so he got under the plank himself to hold it up. Now he had an eyeful of legs in silk stockings on each side, as they were only wearing their USO dresses.

"We could cross our legs to look pretty," Evelyn was saying, shifting about on the plank to cross one leg over the other. Bucky copied her, and all Steve did was hold the plank steady while they moved about.

"C'mon, then, Steve," Dave called over. "Hoist them up!"

"Hang on, gals," Steve told them, making sure he had a grip of the plank. He balanced it on his shoulders first, getting the weight of it then lifting it free of the support. Evelyn and Bucky both made delighted sounds at the movement, their legs kicking away in Steve's periphery.

"Lift us higher!" Bucky instructed.

"Alright," Steve said, then did as she asked and straightened his arms up to lift the plank.

It was easy, holding their weight. The strength he had now was a marvel, really. The tricky part was the balancing, especially when both girls wobbled about a bit, giggling away and kicking their legs.

"That looks precarious," Ruth commented, watching.

"Yeah," Dave agreed. "Maybe we should have something more... sturdy?"

"But this is fun!" Bucky called out.

"I'm sure I can rig something," the stage hand offered, as Steve carefully set the plank back down again. "It won't be ready tonight, but I can have it ready for tomorrow."

"Do we even need the wood?" Evelyn said. "Steve, you could just lift us by yourself? More to grab onto!" She laughed, especially when Steve couldn't hide his hesitation. "Stop being a ham and give it a go," she told him.

So, they tried it. Evelyn first, standing up straight with her arm flat out, she leaned to the side while Steve crouched under her then lifted her up in the air so she was lying on her side.

"Stop wriggling," he said, as Evelyn wobbled about.

"It's harder than it looks!" she shot back, trying to keep herself straight out.

"You're doing it all wrong," Dave said. "You should lift from the waist."

Steve set Evelyn down, and she said to Dave, "Why don't you try it if you can do it so well?"

Steve exhaled in relief, just pleased he hadn't dropped anyone. He looked over at Bucky, who was smiling at him.

"What if we just sat in your arms?" she suggested quietly, as Evelyn and Dave bickered. "Sort of on your shoulder? You could crouch down while we get on, then you lift us up?"

"Um, sure?" Steve suggested, because he couldn't say no to Bucky.

They tried it out, him crouching on one knee as Bucky and Ruth sat on his shoulders and biceps.

Their bodies were very warm, Steve noticed. It was hard to concentrate with Bucky being so close to him, and him touching her, especially when she was hardly dressed in anything but the little stars and stripes dress.

"You better hold my hands," Steve said, still crouched down. The girls held onto his hands, and Steve very carefully got to his feet. It was still a bit jerky, causing the girls to yelp with alarm, but they got up in the air and stayed there relatively steady.

"Oh, hell," Ruth complained, shifting her ass on Steve's shoulder. "I got my panties all twisted up."

Bucky started laughing, and Steve was having difficulty keeping still. "God," he murmured, extremely hot and bothered now. He knew he was probably blushing.

"Can we wait for the prop?" he asked. "I don't want to wobble about like this in front of the audience."

"Steve, where's your sense of adventure?" Evelyn teased him.

After they'd stopped 'rehearsing', the girls took it upon themselves to find a motorbike.

They managed to locate an off duty R.A.F. officer who had a spare Triumph they could borrow for the show, if they gave him a free ticket he said. Ruth took a shine to him anyway, so she saw to it he got his free ticket and a drink with her afterwards.

After a quick practice lift outside in the alley, Steve had to admit lifting a motorbike with girls on top was easier than a flimsy plank of wood. He agreed to do it in the show, which made the girls happy.

"Only if you wear the helmets," he added, which got him some moans but safety came first.

During the first half of the show, the stage hand wheeled the bike backstage, and looked dubious about having it in there.

"Shall we wheel it on the stage?" Steve asked, when they were stage side between numbers. "This is such a small space to ride in."

"I can ride it." Bucky grinned as she strapped on her helmet. "I've been riding for years. My pops is a mechanic."

She swung her leg over the massive bike, and tested the throttle. "Piece of cake," she said, flashing Steve a smile before she let the bike zoom out onto the stage.

Steve could only watch in admiration as Bucky handled the bike perfectly, with way more skill than he had. The audience certainly seemed impressed, audibly gasping as the noisy bike circled onstage before Bucky put it in park and killed the engine.

It was all a bit rushed, but Steve went along with it. He ran onstage, waving to the audience again. Ruth and Evelyn joined Bucky on the bike, all three of them sitting in a line and smiling.

Not wanting to be outdone, the singers trotted out onstage too and began singing one of the songs about Captain America that Steve was sick of now. (It was probably better than doing it to no music at all, Steve supposed.)

He focused on the bike, and went around the back so he could get a good grip then pick it up. Once he had the bike overhead, facing the audience, he walked forward a couple steps carrying the bike and the girls aloft.

Stage side, Routledge looked thrilled. The audience were clearly wowed too, gasping and applauding already.

Steve saw all their happy smiles and he couldn't help smiling back, caught up in the moment.

"Now this is the wow factor," Bucky called down to him. "Nice work, Steve!"


	5. The Star Spangled Man with a Plan!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Complete!!
> 
> ~ ~ ~

It was inevitable, really, that a romance blossomed between him and Bucky.

What began as spending time together (leaving notes for each other in the books they swapped, and lingering looks and smiles when they thought nobody else was looking) grew into little touches here and there, especially in the dressing room getting changed side by side, and more knowing smiles.

The way that Bucky positioned herself when she got changed often allowed for Steve to catch glimpses of bare skin. Not that he hadn't seen a lot of bare skin sharing a dressing room with twenty plus women (and Dave) already, but he knew Bucky was doing it for his eyes, the way she would look at him and smile, or wink sometimes when she peeled off her undergarments to expose herself made Steve hot under the collar.

He figured it was only fair to return the favor, as he'd caught on that she liked looking at him too. Instead of rushing to switch his clothes so much, he kept his top off for longer, allowing her eyes drink him in.

It was fun, in a way Steve hadn't expected it to be, especially as there was always other people about. Steve supposed it wasn't against any rules that cast members could go steady, but he didn't feel like advertising his private life or publicly declaring his feelings either.

Bucky was a private sort of person too, much like he was. Steve was all set to write her a nice letter, asking her if she'd want to be his girl, but Bucky beat him to the punch and kissed him backstage one night. During the singer's chorus when they had to wait stage-side, she pulled him behind a velvet curtain and kissed him on the lips.

Steve was more than happy to kiss back, thrilled that she seemed to like him too. They had to be brief about it, as the next number was up soon. She smiled at him and reached up to wipe the lipstick smudge from his mouth.

After that, they often snuck away together for a few moments alone. Steve had never kissed anyone before, not like this. He liked kissing Bucky very much.

Despite the fact he hadn't kissed a girl much, Steve wasn't a virgin. Although he wasn't very experienced in that department either, Bucky seemed to know what she wanted and the two of them fit together quite easily. Their first time together was in a hotel room, where Dave had kindly gone to share with Bucky's roommate for the night so they'd have some time alone together. They made love in a narrow, single bed, Steve on top thrusting into her, and Bucky clinging onto him making these amazing little sounds in his ear.

Regrettably, Steve hadn't lasted all that long, he was too excited, but that's when he discovered another plus side to having the serum: he could keep right on going if he wanted to.

Bucky seemed pretty satisfied with that fact too.

Afterwards they laid cuddled up in the bed, Bucky panting quietly. "Aren't you tired out?" she asked, when Steve got on top of her again.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, cupping her face with his hand.

"I didn't say that." She smiled at him, and tugged his face down for a kiss. "You keep doing what you're doing!"

They didn't always wait until they were back at the hotel. Once they'd started having sex, and Steve got the hang of what he was doing, it was like the floodgates were opened and with the serum and all... Well, Steve found himself quite horny most of the time.

Luckily for him, Bucky seemed more than happy to have sex with him any time they could get a minute. Steve had always loved her in the USO dress, the skirt so short it barely covered her ass, and only a thin scrap of material covering her breasts. It was more a bathing suit, really.

When they snuck away from the other cast members they'd look for a room or somewhere out of sight they could have a quick fuck. Bucky would slip her panties off and Steve would pick her up, her weight nothing to him with his strength. He could hold her up in the air or against a wall, his tights down around his thighs as he pushed his cock into her, their flesh smacking together with the force of his thrusts.

They had to be quiet if they were backstage, hidden by only a curtain or some props, but that was half the fun. Sometimes Bucky asked him to leave the cowl on while they did it, because it was exciting she said. They'd have a quick encounter then dress themselves again, Bucky would pull her panties back up, and Steve his tights, both of them grinning at each other the whole time.

Steve's favorite place to have sex was the dressing rooms, especially if there were a lot of mirrors. He liked looking at the mirrors to get different views of them when he fucked her on the counter, her legs hooked around him as he thrust into her.

They were at it for weeks until it occurred to Steve that Bucky could get pregnant.

Although when he asked her about it one night, when they were cuddling in bed together, she assured him it wouldn't happen.

"I'd look after you, you know," he told her, cradling her in his arms. The bed was narrow, so they had to cuddle, but he liked holding her all the same. "I mean, if you did... I wouldn't leave you. I'd do the right thing."

"That's sweet." She stroked her hand along his arm. "I can't get pregnant, Steve. The doctor said so. It's not in the cards for me."

"Oh," Steve said, feeling relief and disappointment all at once. "Well... I guess it's not the perfect time to start a family anyway. With the war and all."

Bucky laughed lightly, shaking in his arms. "Good thinking, Cap. Wouldn't you rather have an adventure? We get to go travelling with this show. Next week we'll be in France. Think how exciting that is."

"Yeah, sure," Steve agreed. "This is great. I mean..." He tried to ignore that same niggling thought that he wasn't doing enough. "I can't wait to see France."

Once they were on the continent, Steve had a plan. He wanted to do something with the gifts that Dr. Erskine had given him, something that didn't involve dancing around in tights.

Steve was surprised how close France was to England, when they only needed a short boat ride to get across the channel.

When he checked his map, purchased in London along with some helpful guidebooks on France, Steve saw how big France was as a country. Its borders were with Spain, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.

France really had been getting it on all fronts during the war, Steve discovered. He'd been reading up as much as he could while on tour in Britain, the news over here completely different to the war news he'd ever had access to in the States.

Steve listened to the radio too, as did much of the cast some days when there was news of the war effort for the general public. A few of the girls were afraid, as some parts of France were occupied by Nazi forces. Routledge claimed they'd be safe on the Allied bases they were visiting, as they'd have the Allied troops of French, British and American all around them.

They certainly weren't permitted to leave the bases for their own safety, but this was Steve's secret plan. Now he was here, in the midst of war, he had to go and do something.

He planned to sneak away from the company's barracks at night, borrowing some Army fatigues to dress in.

He went about the base chatting to the men there, gathering Intel. Steve met a French infantryman named Claude who had connections to the French Resistance: everyday people in towns and villages fighting back against the occupying Nazi and Hydra forces.

That was what Steve wanted to do. Help people.

Claude had injuries which meant he couldn't come along, but he gave Steve information for getting in touch with the Resistance, and where to find them in the nearest village.

Three nights in a row, Steve snuck away dressed in various civilian clothes he'd borrowed, and made his way through the dark woods to a small village. He spoke a little French, and Claude's contact there had accepted Steve's help. They were farmers, mostly; poor people doing their bit, loading up supplies for their Resistance fighters in the next town. They had courage and spirit.

The difficulty would be getting the supplies in undetected, and that's what Steve offered to do for them.

On the fourth night, as Steve left the Allied base in his civilian disguise, he realised he was being followed.

They were in the woods, no light except for the stars and the moon, and nobody else about. Steve double backed along the track and laid in wait for the person following him, a man by the looks of the silhouette.

Steve waited until he came past, then he leapt out and tackled him to the ground. It was the yelp of surprise that alerted him to the fact this wasn't a man.

"Bucky?" Steve said in disbelief, pinning her to the ground.

Bucky punched him in the gut, winding him a little. "Steve, what the hell?" she said, adjusting the flat cap on her head where all her hair was tucked up into.

"I thought you were a spy!" Steve hissed. "Why are you following me?"

She got to her feet, dusting herself down. "I wanted to know what you were doing. What _are_ you doing?"

"I, um... it's classified," he said.

Bucky snorted. "Lay off. If you're doing something exciting, I'm coming with you."

"It'll be dangerous," Steve tried to say.

"That's why I brought this," she replied, lifting her jacket to show a pistol tucked in her pants.

Steve was a little taken aback and (he couldn't deny) quite a bit turned on.

"Do, um... do you know how to handle that thing?"

Bucky only smiled. "My family's been taking me hunting since I was eight. How long have you handled a gun?"

"Alright, alright," Steve said, smiling back at her. "C'mon, then. It'll be nice to have the company."

Bucky looked pleased. "Damn right it will," she said, and they set off together.

Their first mission, as Steve liked to think of it, went down without a hitch.

They took the supplies from the village in a small truck about ten miles to the next town, a pretty little place even by moonlight.

They'd had to park some ways away, and carry the supplies in so they could approach undetected. Steve had done most of the carrying, while Bucky was lookout and cover.

They'd managed to locate their contact, and hand off the supplies to him. Of course, Steve wanted to do more, and Bucky was in agreement. He asked for Intel, and they were told that a secret Hydra cell had been set up in the town, using the post office as a base.

Steve asked if the townsfolk would want to get rid of this cell and when, and now they had their supplies the Resistance fighters were clearly eager to remove them.

"Any civilians with them?" Steve asked.

"Oui, the older couple who own the post office," Jean-Pierre, their contact, replied. "They've been hostage for six days now. They managed to slip me a note that there are four Germans in there with them."

"So we lure out the Germans," Steve said, thinking it through. "We don't want any casualties if we can help it."

"You need a diversion to lure them out," Bucky said. "Then set a trap."

Steve smiled at her. "What did you have in mind?"

They formed a plan with Jean-Pierre and the Resistance, using some home-made fire-crackers and smoke grenades, and split up into three groups. Outside in the street, Jean-Pierre and his men would create a distraction, covered by a cart they wheeled in to save them from fire. In the building opposite the post office, Bucky (having borrowed a rifle) would provide them all cover and pick off the Germans when they came out.

Meanwhile Steve and two of Jean-Pierre's Resistance fighters would make entry from the back, protect the hostages and kill any Hydra agents.

The plan was set, and once they all got the signal, Jean-Pierre set it into action: detonating the smoke grenades and fire crackers in the street, and causing a lot of rowdy noise.

It was made to sound like festivities, and when two of the Germans came to the windows to see, they were picked off by Bucky, dropping dead instantly. At the same time Steve made entry from the back, kicking open a door with his super strength and knocking down the German officer standing right there.

The second officer drew his gun but wasn't quick enough for the Resistance coming in behind Steve, shooting him dead.

The elderly couple who'd been locked in a bedroom upstairs were unharmed, and very pleased to be liberated.

The townsfolk heard all the commotion, and came by to see what was happening. Jean-Pierre gave them all a speech outside in the street, which Steve mostly understood but he didn't need to speak French to understand the sentiment behind it and the rousing cheers that followed.

Bucky came down from her sniper's nest while Steve was helping to lift the bodies of the Hydra officers onto a small cart.

"What will they do with them?" she asked, and Steve translated best he could to Jean-Pierre.

Jean-Pierre explained that the uniforms would be used if possible, while the bodies would be buried secretly. If Hydra or the German forces thought their cell was still in operation, then they wouldn't send in more.

Steve related this back to Bucky, who nodded in thought. "You need German speakers wearing those uniforms, going undercover and gathering more Intel."

"Yes," Steve agreed. "I've been trying to learn German, though I'm sure I still have an accent because I haven't heard it spoken out loud much."

"You should get to practising," Bucky told him with a smile. "You and me in those uniforms, I think we'd do okay. If I'd known we needed one of these goons alive, I would've only done a flesh wound and not a kill shot."

"Yeah." Steve smiled back at her, no doubt in his mind now that Bucky was a crack shot with a gun. "You want to go undercover as Hydra officers?"

Bucky shrugged a shoulder. "I told you I wanted adventure, Steve."

"It could be dangerous," he said, only because Bucky didn't have any super serum like he had, and she hadn't gone through Basic like him.

Though, she'd done more than alright tonight without either.

"I don't mind a little danger," she said with a crooked smile. "This isn't the first time I've dressed as a man and gotten into a fight, you know. I can handle myself. Why should you boys have all the fun?"

Steve grinned. "Alright. Then let's do it." He offered out his hand for her to shake. "Partners."

"Partners," she said, shaking his hand firmly.

They arranged with Jean-Pierre to meet the Resistance alongside the USO show's tour dates.

Jean-Pierre was able to hook them up with local contacts for each town they'd be near, in France and also in Italy. They had a code so the contacts would be secret and awaiting them, while Steve kept two of the Hydra officer's uniforms in his luggage for them to use.

In the north of France, where the show was camped at a new base, Jean-Pierre got word to Steve of a Hydra occupied town near the Swiss border. Steve was able to coordinate with the local Resistance to plan an attack, and he also tipped off a troop of eager Americans who wanted to come along to help.

Steve and Bucky went in undercover first, as Hydra officers. Steve looked perfectly blond enough to pass as German, whereas Bucky was a dark brunet but she'd borrowed Dave's Hitler mustache for the job. They went into the town at night, passing as Hydra until they located the commanding officer's lair, holed up in a civilian's house.

They were able to get close enough then take the commanding officer hostage, Steve using his brute strength to get the upper hand, and Bucky providing him cover with her expert marksmanship.

At the sound of gunfire, their backup joined in the fray, yelling loudly and blasting off their guns. The Hydra cell was taken by surprise. It was a skirmish, with some of the Resistance injured in the fight, but with the Hydra officer as hostage they were able to gain the upper hand. Steve had to stop him from biting down on a hidden cyanide capsule, stopping his mouth with a gag.

"How d'you like that," Bucky said after the fight was won, "I only shot a flesh wound on at least two of these goons, but they went ahead and killed themselves anyway." She toed one of the lifeless bodies with her boot.

"Cyanide," Steve explained, as he tied up the commanding officer. "They all got 'em in their teeth. Gotta stop the assholes from biting down."

They turned the Hydra officer over to the Resistance, who would question him themselves before they would let the Americans take him back to the base.

"Can we take a walk while they're busy?" Bucky asked, peeling off her mustache.

"Sure," Steve said, "although we should probably change our jackets so no one thinks we're Hydra and shoots us by mistake."

"Not a bad idea."

They changed from their Hydra uniform into borrowed civilian clothes, with Bucky still tucking her hair up into a cap.

"You look real nice as a fella," Steve whispered to her as they walked away down a darkened path. They were on the edge of the town, farmlands around them and the occasional moo from a cow in a nearby field.

Bucky smiled sidelong at him. "I know I do, but it's nice to hear you say it."

"D'you think anyone would notice two fine fellas making out here in the dark?" Steve asked, grabbing Bucky around the waist and turning her to face him.

"Well, if they got anything to say about it," Bucky said, holding onto Steve's shoulders as she gazed at him, "I'll shoot 'em dead."

Steve tilted his face and kissed her passionately. "I love it when you talk like that," he confessed.

"You don't mind me dressed like this?" she asked between kisses.

"No, I like it," Steve told her. "I like _you_."

"What if I was a guy most of the time?" she asked, looking him in the eyes.

Steve smiled at her. "I'd still like you. In case you haven't noticed, I'm crazy about you."

She dipped her chin down as she smiled, the brim of her hat hiding her eyes. "Good to know," she murmured. "I'm kinda crazy about you, too."

In Azzano, Steve was sitting outside on a bench, drawing Bucky, Evelyn and Dave opposite him as they chatted and smoked cigarettes.

Footsteps approached from behind him and a voice said, "Hello, Steve."

He looked up to see Agent Carter, standing there in uniform. "Hey," he replied, surprised to see her here. "Long time."

She smiled politely at him. "How've you been?"

"Yeah, good," he said. "What are you doing in Italy?"

"Colonel Philips called me in," she explained. "There's quite a large Hydra base nearby, but it's too well defended to get in."

"Really," Steve said, glancing over at Bucky and catching her eye. "Probably only Hydra officers could get past their lines, huh?"

"Hm, yes," Peggy said flatly, looking between him and Bucky. "Anyway, Steve, do you fancy catching up over a drink later? Or we could have dinner?"

"Sorry, Agent Carter," Steve said, still smiling at Bucky, "I got plans tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's how Cap and Bucky started punching Nazis! 
> 
> "A couple that punches Nazis together, stays together," as Steve often said later.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, please leave me a comment if you like it! :D
> 
> I must share a link to that incredible fanart of Steve and his USO girls that really inspired me for the card game scene. Take a look [on tumblr here](https://potterspink.tumblr.com/post/632329748378501120/steve-rogers-uso-ladies) and give the artist some love!


End file.
